The Hero, The Guardian
by Hidden-Shadow-of-Me
Summary: He thought he was going to die in order to save the earth. And in a way, he did. But now, now he's on a whole new playing field, and science isn't going to help explain Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny being real. He just hopes he can convince his friends he's real so they can see him again...
1. What happened?

"_Just tell them, okay?"_

Wally felt the climax of the chrysalis power engulf him, felt the searing pain as the particles separated his form. But this was okay- it was. He was a _hero_, and this is what heroes do. If he died to protect the ones he loved, then that was alright. He was alright.

The pain did not lessen, but he continued to run, he was going to keep fighting until the end, until he was torn apart to nothing, until-

It stopped. The pain was gone! "B-Barry, I'm alive!" He looked down to see his body had re-solidified, he was back to normal! Better than normal, in fact. He couldn't place it, but something was different. With a start he realized the speedsters had slowed down, the vortex had dissipated! They won! They stopped the reach invasion! He hit the brakes on his super speed, unable to see anyone around him because of the cloud of snow they had kicked up. "Okay, so, we can't do that again guys, just saying."

"They did it!"

Wally turned at the sound of M'gann's laughing voice, chuckling along with her. "Yeah, we did!" She quickly raced by to assist the now visible Bart, Wally feeling her infectious smile. "All in a day's work!"

Kaldur passed him and reached Uncle Barry, who was doubled over and exhausted. Huh, he didn't feel that run down, that was weird. "Congratulations, you have sav-"

"Wait!"

Wally turned, his smile growing as he saw Artemis glancing around. She had come! "Artemis, sorry for ditching you before, but I-"

"Where's Wally?"

"Babe?" Wally froze, taking in Artemis's wide, horrified face, "Babe, uh- you're freaking me out."

"Artemis,"

Wally started to turn around, worried by how despairing his uncle's tone was. Hello people! They had won! He jumped in shock as suddenly Barry was in front of him, _had passed right through him_, "What the-?! Bar-"

"He wanted me to tell you…" Flash sounded broken, _what was going on_?

"Guys! I'm right _here_!" Wally flailed his arms. They ignored him, like they didn't hear him.

Didn't see him.

"No, _no_…" Artemis looked like she was about to fall apart- Wally was starting to feel the same way.

Barry gripped her shoulders. "He loved you."

"I _do_ love her!" Wally felt protective anger burst through him as he strode forward. Enough was enough. "What is wrong with you?" He reached out towards his uncle, intending to give him a piece of his mind. "I'm right-" He started as his hand phased right through his uncle's figure. "here…" He stared down at his hands in disbelief, shock rocking through his core. What was this- this- _no_! He turned, racing towards Nightwing. "Dick! Dick, can you see me? _Look at me_!" But he wasn't, even when Wally got right in his face he looked blindly through his best friend. "_No_! What is going on?" He turned back to the figure of his weeping love. "Artemis, don't cry- I'm _here_!" He raced back to here, kneeling down beside her and M'gann. "I'm here…" This wasn't right. _This wasn't right! _He held a shaking hand to her face, intending to caress her tear stained cheek but once again passing through her. "No!" He stood again, horrified as his beloved continued to sob brokenly. He turned to face the others, starting to race around them and incidentally kicking up stronger winds. None of them noticed, everyone wearing similar faces of horror and loss. "No! Look at me! I'm here! I'm not dead- I-" He froze, looking down at himself again. "I-I'm not dead, right?"

"We… we should get back to the ship…" Dick quietly stated, looking down at the ground. Slowly the group made their way back to the craft, leaving a stunned Wally staring after them.

"Wait! But I'm here…" Wally felt his voice cracking. "I'm _here_."

"You keep saying that."

Wally kept looking at his hands a few moments longer before he realized that somebody had just _responded _to him. He turned around in shock, his instincts instantly taking in that he was not familiar with these people and they seemed out of place. Judging on the maturity of the voice that spoke, it must have come from the kid with the blue hoodie and- was that _white _hair under his hood? _Was he barefoot in the North Pole_?! "You- you see me?"

The kid had really intense blue eyes, even more-so than Dick's. He smiled at him, looking somewhat bitter sweet. "Yeah, I can see you. Both of us can." He gestured with the long- _crook?_- in his hand to the taller being behind him, who looked like some Russian grandfather figure. His eyes were a bit brighter, more excited.

"Why?" Wally turned in time to watch the bio-ship take off, and felt a jab at being left behind. "Why can you see me but they can't? And Un- Flash went right through me? What," he turned back to them, feeling overwhelmed and helpless, "what happened to me?"

The big man strode forward, his huge beefy hands landing surprisingly gently on his shoulders. Wally couldn't help but notice the intricate tattoos on those muscled arms as well. Seriously, who were these guys?

"My friend, you are now what we call- a Guardian."

…_What?_


	2. Hero, not Guardian

Wally felt like he was missing something, like he was in a moment that should be awe inspiring. Breathe taking. A 'you mean _me_?!' moment.Like everything had been dark and was now lit with realization.

… Accept, no. That's not what happened. "Okay, well clearly there's a misunderstanding. You think I'm a _what_?"

"A Guardian!" The old Russian raised his hands in the air like it was a cry of victory. He clearly didn't grasp the skepticism in the meta's voice. "_You _are now a protector of the weak, a champion of those who cannot fight for themselves!" He leaned closer conspiringly, not noticing Wally lean away. "_You _have been chosen to taken on dark forces, an evil that no mere mortal can comprehend. Most cannot even see!"

"… Yeah, okay. That's what I _thought _you said, but just wanted to make sure." Wally felt his voice edge to a gruff tone. What the crap was this? He was half expecting the bio-ship to appear again, his friends jump out and yell 'you've just been _had _Wall-man!'. He wished he was that lucky. "So, maybe you missed the memo, but I already do that on a daily basis." _Well, before I retired. _"And it's not guardian, it's _hero_. You know, _Super Hero_?"

"But you are now a _Guardian_!" The tank of a human grabbed his upper arms and shook him, like he was trying to connect the pieces rattling around in his brain so he'd get it. "I feel it," he pulled his arms away and patted is generously large stomach, "_here_, in my _belly_."

… Okay, seriously, where'd they hide the camera? Was this being televised?

"We also got the official word from Manny." The skinnier kid piped up, swooping in and placing himself between Wally and the crazy old guy (he had to admit he was relieved there was a bit of a barrier now). "He's the one who alerted us to be here for you."

"Manny?" _What kind of a name is that? Is the 'man' 'manly'? Heheh._

"Yeah, the Man on the Moon. He's the one who calls the shots, so to speak."

… _my idea was better. _"Okay, okay." Wally held his hands up, shaking his head. "This has been- _wow_- but you can stop now. Seriously, what's _really _going on?"

The older man frowned, finally grasping the idea that Wally wasn't fully accepting thing at face value. "What I have said is the truth. You are now like us, Guardians of the people of this world."

"Yeah, and I _just _said-"

"Not like you and your friends in tights." Jack waved him off. "They handle the threats your world _sees_, we handle the ones you didn't even think existed."

Wally sighed loudly, rubbing at his eyes. It was an unconscious gesture he had picked up from weeks of pulling all nighters for college exams. "Right, you guys keep saying that. So let's pretend here-"

"Not pretending-"

"That this is the real deal. Are you guys just some rag tag duo, fighting for… what, exactly?"

Grey beard was about to start up again, but the kid luckily cut him off. "Well, we're not a rag tag duo, there are more guardians than just us, _lots _more. But we're two of the bigger ones, I guess." Wally raised his eyebrows doubtfully. "Look, you guys _do _technically know us, you just don't realize it." The boy pulled back his hood, and though Wally had caught glimpses of it, he hadn't fully believed the kid's hair was liked that. _Man _was that white hair! "I go by Jack Frost."

… okay, this was getting old. "Jack Frost, really." Wally folded his arms over his chest. "You want me to believe that _Jack Frost_, the mythological-" _fake! _"-character who brings on winter and frost and ice and _nips your nose_, is you?"

"And I am Nicholas St. North!" The Russian barreled forward, beaming. "You know me as Santa Claus!"

Santa, right. Wait- Santa was Russian? "Okay, pushing all the scientifically impossible variables aside, this still isn't possible."

"Of course it's not, we're not something that science can explain."

"If science can't explain it, then it's not real!"

Jack groaned, kicking at the snow in exasperation. And wait- shouldn't he be blue by now? He's not exactly prepped for arctic temperatures. "It would figure that Manny goes after a skeptic as the newest addition."

Wait a second. "So the Manny-moon dude did this? He turned me invisible, or dropped me on a different parallel plane, or whatever?"

The Russian- _Santa _nodded solemnly. "Yes. He will explain himself further, in due time, but the choice to change you was sudden. We have not had a Guardian born under your… circumstances, before."

"But he is the one responsible?" Wally felt his anger boiling up again. "Who the hell does your boss-man think he is?! My girlfriend thinks I'm _dead_, as does everyone else I care about, and he decides to do this when we were on the brink of world destruction?!" He glared angrily, "Tell him to change me back, _now_."

"I'm afraid, my friend, that it does not work this way." Santa looked at the young man sadly now. "We understand that this will be hard, as I have said, your circumstances are much different than the rest of our own."

"I'll say. There's no way I'm the Guardian of _anything_." Wally could hear his mother scolding him for the tone he was using on the poor deranged old man, but he couldn't help it. "What's my holiday? St. Patties? Valentines?"

"You don't actually need a holiday-" Jack began, but quieted when Santa laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps _she _will be better able to explain to him, that is why Manny sent for her."

Jack frowned. "I dunno, she's kinda new to the gig herself, even though she's really taken to it."

Wow, they just weren't giving up this charade. "She?" He prompted impatiently.

"Yes," Santa looked over his shoulder, smiling shrewdly. "_She _will help you understand."

Wally was about to tell them off again, in fact, he was about ready to be very _un_hero and just leave them there in the frigid temperatures (_how did they get here, anyway?_). But the sound of rushing water started behind him, and he turned in surprise, knowing that water really shouldn't be able to hold its form in these temperatures.

At first it looked like a small river had against all odds started to flow towards them, foaming and glinting on the ice and smelling distinctly of salt. Just as Wally was about to back out of the way, lest it over take him, it _stopped_. Only a beat or so later the water rose from the ground of its own accord and being to morph and contort before his very eyes.

At first he couldn't make out the image, but then the limbs softened into delicate arms and legs, detailed enough to appear well toned. Specific portions of the water began to glow, forming short coverings of her base that kept the imagination from wandering but at the same time had a sheer, luminescent quality to it. But it was when the eyes, bright blue and knowing and _familiar _settled on his startled form that Wally actually knew what he was seeing, _who _he was seeing.

"Kid Flash," her voice sounded amused, faintly nostalgic. "It's been a long time."

He couldn't believe it. So much for science. "Tula?"


	3. Denying Fate

The old friend smiled faintly. Wally wanted to reject what he was seeing- deny that this was possible. But… being a super hero always showed that even the impossible could happen.

But Tula being _alive_?

"How- how-" He didn't know where to start, to even _begin_.

She let out a breathy laugh, looking down at herself as if she just realized how unusual this was. "I'm sure, for someone like you Kid Flash, this is a little hard to take in."

"Oh, only a little," he managed to reply, though his voice was clearly strangled. "Tula, this doesn't make sense; you're- I mean-" They had thought her _dead_, that she was _gone_! "Why didn't you let us know?"

At this, her smile grew sadder, wistful. "I know it's difficult to take in, but like you have seen; you cannot easily communicate with our old world any longer. I am no longer Atlantean, just like you are no longer human."

Wally winced at the very raw image of Artemis crying, unable to see him, here him. He didn't want to think about it, he couldn't accept it. "Then what…" he gestured helplessly to her clear, water form.

She held up her hand playfully, and Wally watched mesmerized as some of the water below her eagerly sprang up, suspended in the air and waiting for further direction. Turning back to Wally, she gave another faint smile. "I'm a water Spirit. A Guardian of the oceans."

"So…" He glanced over his shoulder at the two others, who were watching patiently. "This is real, this 'guardian' thing… you're not messing with me?" Wally waiting a few seconds, somewhere in the back of his mind still expecting them to crack up and laugh, saying how they couldn't believe he fell for it. But that didn't happen, they just continued to stare at him seriously. He needed to sit down, if he had anything left in his stomach, he might have even considered vomiting. This wasn't possible. _This wasn't possible_.

Something must have shown on his face, because Tula's expression grew soft- pitying. She drew closer, gently bringing her hand to rest on his cheek so he faced her. The hand didn't feel wet, perhaps cold, and _moving _in ways a hand would never, but he was surprised at how _solid_ it felt. "I am so sorry Wally. I haven't been told to the full extent _why _you were chosen, and I can't imagine how this must feel for you, to have turned so quickly-"

"Quickly?" Wally's brow furrowed at her choice of words.

She lips thinned into a grim line, looking away as something painful danced in her eyes. "I know it's been awhile since I died, or long enough."

"Three in-a-half years." Wally stated, somewhat accusingly.

"Yes," She looked back to him, "But I didn't start my duty as a Guardian until two years ago, when the Reach first began prepping for the invasion by hiding their forces within our oceans."

Wally frowned again, not fully grasping what she was saying. "So you _were _dead?" This concept of something after death, of being dead and then _not dead_ was really hurting his scientific logic. He was going to have such a head ache later. "Why didn't they make you a guardian right away?"

"This is the way of most Guardians." Wally turned when St. North- _Santa _spoke up. "Manny knows the change is not an easy one, and works in his own time. I woke to my duty sixty-five years after my death as a human."

Jack gave a somewhat bitter smile, leaning against his cane. "I don't know how long I was 'dead', but when I woke up, I couldn't remember anything, so it didn't matter."

"That is why you are different." Tula joined in again, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We don't even know if you really _died_, you simply became a Guardian."

This was too much, _way _too much. "A Guardian of _what_?" He looked at the two elder Guardians, suddenly feeling lost all over again. "Why would this- this- _Manny _even choose me?"

"Actually, you came highly recommended." Tula's hand traveled down his arm and pulled it to her, holding his hand open palmed between them. Her other hand reached over and set something in the waiting palm. As she drew away, Wally's breath caught at the site of the object.

"But this is-" he raised the watch till it was dangling before his eyes, remembering vividly the day he watched old Kent Nelson die, the day he put on the Helmet of Fate. "How is _he _involved?"

"Mr. Nelson is actually quite active in his afterlife." Tula backed away, her smile stretching a bit. "He said that letting you simply die would be a terrible waste, that you could do a lot of good as a Guardian. In fact, you're a bit more than an average Guardian."

That drew Wally's attention away. "What do you mean? Am I going to turn into something like you- a water spirit? Wind spirit?" Not that his brain was really accepting those ideas anyway.

"A Time Lord."

Santa moved forward, also looking at the clock with a twinkle in his eye as he spoke again. "You are a Guardian of Time, a heavy burden for one seemingly so young. But Manny never chooses wrong."

Wally stared at the watch, opening it gingerly and gasping when he saw the interior. The watch was just the same as it had been, though it appeared some hands and notices were added, it was still beautifully crafted, the glass clear and glistening. What caught his breath was the picture. Where before there had been a picture of Kent's beloved Insa, now instead was an entirely different figure.

It captured her perfectly. Though instead of the high pony-tail she usually sported, it was showing her blond locks cascading over her shoulders and back, the gray eyes gazing sternly at the viewer even as her mouth was frozen in a small, genuine smile. She looked beautiful, dressed in a black turtle-neck that he knew was her favorite.

Artemis.

He couldn't look away, and felt tears threatening his eyes as he remembered her face as Barry told her that he was dead. _"Where's Wally?" _The lost, hopeless look burned over the warm picture. Slowly, fighting not to tremble, Wally reached out and placed the antique back in the water spirit's hands. "I'm sorry. I- I can't."

Tula's eyes widened, pleading. "Kid Flash-"

"No."

"We're telling you the truth! You were _chosen _for this task. The world is in danger; we _need _your help for this-"

"_No_!" Wally yelled, startling himself by how guttural it sounded, how furious. "I am _not _a Guardian! Not a Time Lord, not a spirit, _nothing_! I have a _life_! You are not going to take it away from me!"

"You cannot go back to how things were, hero." Jack bit out angrily; feeling defensive because of the water spirit's hurt expression. "Running away from the responsibility isn't going to change that it's _your _responsibility now!"

"I didn't ask for this!" Wally rounded on the kid, and Jack was struck by how _fearful_ the glaring eyes beneath the mask were. "My best friend needs to know I'm alive, that I don't hate him! I need to let my mentor know my death wasn't his fault! I have a girlfriend who loves me! I was going to _propose_!" He stopped, breathing heavily as they all gazed at him with pity. Realizing his words, he felt despair hit him even more sharply. "No, forget this. It's not happening, I'm not the guy, sorry."

"What are you going to do?" Jack shifted his stance, gazing hard at the figure, knowing Kid Flash was trying his best not to fall to pieces.

The speedster, who had turned his back on them, glanced to look over his shoulder, giving a bitter grin. "Run away." And then he was gone- faster than he had ever been as a human.

Tula sighed wearily before turning and giving the watch to Jack. "Please hold onto this until he comes back, he'll need it."

Jack peered at her through his white bangs. "Are you sure he will?"

She smiled, sadly. "Despite how he is right now, Wally is- was one of the best heroes of his age. He knows he has to make this decision, and even if he's running from it now, Kid Flash would never turn his back on those who need help." She gazed off in the direction he had disappeared to. "Perhaps you can borrow a snow globe and meet him outside of Los Palto? He won't know how to get to the North Pole."

Santa looked at Tula curiously. "Why would the hero child go there? Is his home city not Central City?"

"No, he's not going to his home." Tula continued to gaze over the frozen wasteland, her tone heavy with sorrow. "He's going to see Artemis again."

**So I know where I'm taking this story, but I gotta ask, what do you guys think? And yeah, I felt nothing would fit a person who has always had time at their fingertips than to become a Guardian of time. Semi new powers galor! I have no clue if he's going to go through a costume change, but I feel like calling him a Time Lord is better than designating him Father time (that just sounds **_**old**_**).**

**So… thoughts?**


	4. Weeping Loss

Artemis trudged wearily up the steps to her home in Los Palto. She was practically on auto-pilot. She registered nothing. Felt nothing.

Wally was gone.

Nightwing had tried to console her, Miss Martian had tried to have her come home with her, Barry had even offered to escort her back, but she couldn't be with anyone. She felt empty, so much emptier than she had ever been. More than when her father had come home to try and recruit her, more than the aftermath of the Louisiana mission, even more than when she had been alone in the submarine, only the idea of returning to Wally keeping her going.

Wally.

She pulled out the key, not really seeing the lock as she twisted and opened the door. Nelson looked up from the couch at her, where he had been faithfully waiting. His stubby tail wagging excitedly as he took in his mistress's return. He clumsily leapt from the couch and approached her, and she knelt, right there in the open doorway, barely registering as she pet his ears. His tongue lolled appreciatively, but eventually he turned away from her, looking over her shoulder.

Looking for Wally.

"Sorry, Nelson." She whispered. She crushed the rising sadness as Nelson whined at the door. It was now going to be just them. Because he was never coming back. "Sorry."

She dropped the bag containing her costume to the ground, not even noticing as the wind shut the door behind her. What- what was she supposed to do? Wally had said he had planned out how they could spend their evening, something unusually thoughtful of him. She reached the threshold to their room, looking in on the bleak and empty darkness. The bed wasn't made, of course. Wally was such a slob without her around.

_Wally_.

She entered woodenly, not looking at his side of the bed, sitting slowly down on her side, absently feeling the textures beneath her fingers. Her tired eyes turned, finding the picture on her beside of the two of them. It was of them at Dick's last birthday party, the two of them smiling at each other instead of the camera. Her heart did an extra thump as she noticed an envelope on the side table with his scratchy handwriting.

'_To Artemis'_

Shakily, breathing quickly, she snatched at it, her eyes tearing up as she opened it to find tickets to one of their favorite bands, a note sloppily scrawled on the side.

'_I've missed you babe- having you home is a dream. We didn't celebrate your birthday, so I figured we'd celebrate together! Turn around for an even better surprise. ;)'_

She could barely read the last sentence through the tears that were finally leaking, but once she did, she couldn't help but let out a gasping sob. She turned, facing the doorway with a ridiculous, crazy flutter of hope, but met only an empty hallway. Of course Wally wasn't there, smiling and cocky and _Wally_.

She would never see him again.

The woman suddenly found she couldn't breathe as her tears choked up, her composure finally lost. "Wally…" she clenched the letter in her hands, rising from the bed and staring down the doorway. "Come out… you stupid idiot! Where are you?!" Her voice grew to a screech that covered Nelson's concerned whine. "You can't do this!" She gasped, sobbing and feeling so dead inside that she was absently amazed how much pain she felt. "I came back… I came back Wally…" She came back; she stayed alive and returned from that hell of a mission.

And he died. On a mission he didn't even want to be a part of. On a mission he was only there to do because _she _wouldn't let go of the life.

She fell onto the bed, crying, wailing. "You can't leave me… not like this… oh god, oh _god_!" He was gone, he was _gone_. He left her- no, _she _wanted to get back in the game, and he _died _because of it! "Wally…" She whimpered his name brokenly, grasping his pillow and inhaling the faint scent left there. "Wally, Wally, Wally…"

She felt the soft flutter of air, and didn't think about how there were no windows open, nothing to stir the curtains, or to brush at her hair ever so faintly. _Come home, Wally. _She sobbed into her pillow, lost to anything going on around her. _I'm sorry Wally, I'm so sorry. Just come home, _please _come home…_

* * *

"I'm here babe, I'm here." Wally murmured desolately. When he had run from Tula and those guys- the _Guardians_, he didn't think. He didn't want to believe, didn't want to accept what they were saying.

He had waited, for four _hours_ at his and Artemis' doorstep. Wally had begun to think she wasn't returning that night, but then he saw her coming. He had raced down, calling her name, and she didn't even glance his way. He didn't care, there had to be a way around it! _"Artemis!" _He had yelled. _"I didn't leave you! Hello?! Earth to stick in the mud! I'm alive! Look up, miss congeniality! I'm here! I'm going to leave my dirty socks on the ground for Nelson to chew on, I swear I will! Just look at me!" _He yelled and ran around her and said everything he had ever known to get her riled up, anything to show she somehow heard him.

But then she looked up (not at him, at the stairs to their door), and he saw her face.

He had only seen that face two other times. When Jade had returned to the life, and when she found out Tula's death. And that's when it hit him, _really _hit him.

She saw her other half disintegrate into nothing. She didn't think he was alive. She saw Wally _die_.

"_Artemis…" _He had frozen at her expression, only coming out of it when she trudged _through him_ up the steps. He gasped at the sensation, because seeing yourself so solid and the world looking right and then realizing _you weren't there_ wasn't easy to face.

He followed her up, slowly. For whatever, childish reason, he had thought that if he returned to her, tried again, she'd see him; she'd know he was there. He stood in the doorway, seeing she had stopped to pet Nelson. The dumb dog looked ridiculously happy, and that's when it hit that she hadn't been to this home in _months_.

And now she had to return without him.

Her bag dropped harshly to the ground, making him jump. _"Babe…?" _ Of course he received no answer, and she trudged on in, forgetting the door was open. Without thinking he moved to do it himself, absently surprised he could. Quietly, it clicked shut, and he realized Nelson was still looking at the door, eerily like he was looking at _him_. _"Can… can you see me boy…?" _The dog had whined quietly, his tail wagging a little, but looking confused more than anything. Why could he see his master but not smell him? Why did his mistress cry and his master not comfort her like he knew his humans would? Wally had tentatively reached down, feeling a pang when his hand went through his own dog. Nelson had cocked his head at the sight, neither sure what to make of that.

He heard a choked noise along with his name whimpered out and instantly had run to where he heard it, feeling his own heart hammer in realization.

The bedroom.

Artemis was there, next to the bed with fists clenched, glaring daggers accusingly at the doorway, at _him_. Her voice was so strangled with tears, so furiously desperate. _"Come out." _

"_Artemis! Just _try _and see me! Look, Artemis! I didn't leave you! I-" _He looked down, seeing the note in her clenched hand, feeling his gut sink to a new low. _"Oh no…"_

"_You stupid idiot! Where are you?!" _Her eyes were red and shimmering in the faint moonlight. That note, it was part of his welcome home present, that was the beginning of his proposal to her. 'Turn around for an even better surprise', isn't that what he wrote? Oh god, _why_? Her accusing eyes drilled into his. _"You can't do this!"_

"_I'm sorry babe, I'm so sorry…_" He walked into the room, out of the field of her broken glare, feeling the pain regardless. He had done this, he had done this to her.

Artemis was gasping for air, sobbing her heart out and nobody was there to comfort her, no one but his ghost. She lowered her eyes, chest heaving. _"I came back… I came back Wally…"_

He felt his heart breaking all over, his own voice strangled with pain. _"I know babe, I'm so glad you're safe. I'm here too, I didn't leave you, I'd never leave you…"_

She didn't hear him, wearily falling on the bed, the bed she hadn't been in for months that he had planned that same evening to sleep in with her, to hold her and run his fingers through her hair and feel her soft tan skin. But now she lay in a heap on it, alone, instinctively reaching for his pillow and clutching it like a lifeline, wailing in a way he had never heard that just made his heart shatter more. _"You can't leave me… not like this…"_

"Artemis, please, I'll never leave you, I'll always come back." She couldn't hear him; he knew that, his heart kept _breaking _because he knew that. But he had to say it, he had to try. "Please, Artemis, I'm _here_!" It didn't matter, she was inconsolable. He spent the rest of the night with her, right until the grey of dawn started peaking through the curtains. The whole night she called out to him. Sometimes angrily accusing him, but more often brokenly saying sorry. Each and every time he would reply, consoling her deaf ears, crying with her, trying to soothe her sweaty, heated brow.

Finally she succumbed to exhaustion, and Wally watched her tear stained face soften as she temporarily forgot this nightmare. The speedster (was he even considered a speedster now?) looked down to the picture that had been by the envelope, tracing the frame holding such happy memories. How had it come to this? Was he doomed forever to this fate? Stuck on one side, able to see and hear and sense yet do _nothing_? "I'm sorry, babe." He looked down at his hands, still covered in his signature red gloves that were now foreign from the years of not wearing the uniform. Some hero he was. _Useless, I'm useless!_ "I'm sorry…"

He heard a rustle by the window, and looked up to see the skinny kid was back, knocking tentatively. Wally briefly wondered why he should bother, but after one more look at Artemis, got up and softly opened the pane.

The ice blue eyes, even more piercing than Dick's, looked over the huddled form on the bed. "Is that… her?"

"Yeah…"

Jack turned back to Wally, frowning in sympathy. "I know it doesn't mean much, and I don't blame you for being mad at us, but I _am _sorry this had to happen."

Wally looked back as well, watching his love, keeping his voice hushed even though she'd never hear them. "That- the man on the moon. Was he… responsible for that chrysalis energy zapping me?"

"I don't think so." Jack shook his head tersely, the idea clearly absurd to him. "He never purposefully kills someone, but if they do- well, die, he can take advantage of the death and make it something greater."

_So, if these Guardians hadn't chosen me, then I would have died anyway. _Wally felt a horrible throb run through him. _And if they hadn't, then Artemis would truly be alone, completely. _Hearing another rustle, he turned to see Jack was holding Kent's watch- _Wally's _watch, out to him.

"Look," he started, eyes drilling into his. "It's going to take some getting used to, but you need to trust us. I spent three centuries alone, with no idea if anyone but Manny caring that I was alive. Believe me, you don't want to do that. Right now, it's not just us that need you; it's the people you've saved time and time again that need you."

Wally watched him solemnly, his now intense green eyes turning back to his past life. "This evil you're harping about… its endangering her as well?"

"I don't watch you heroes in action much, but you- _they _are on the front lines of its attack."

Wally watched his love again. He couldn't speak to her, couldn't console her, couldn't do _anything_. But in this… this he might be able to do something. And if Jack was right, then the people he swore to protect were still in danger, and he was still able to help. He was willing to sacrifice his life once, why not again? He turned back to the frost spirit, taking the watch from his hand. He knew his decision. "I'll meet you outside in just a second, okay?"

"Sure," the younger guy looked surprised at the sudden acceptance but didn't push it, "sure, take however long you need." And just like that he was flying off the window sill, light as a snowflake in the air.

Wally turned back to Artemis, feeling the weight of what she was about to go through- living a life without him. He approached, one last time attempting to soothe her golden mane. "Babe, if there's any chance, _any _that you can hear me, listen up." He leaned in, his mouth practically pressed to her ear, "I love you. I always have, I always will." He leaned away, scanning her face, knowing he wouldn't see any reaction. "I won't give up getting back to you, I swear I'll try everything in my power. But for now I'm going to go. I don't know where, or what I'm doing, but I'm no good to you now." He turned back to the picture, his throat aching at the happiness portrayed there. "I might never be able to come back to you. But I promise, Artemis, that I will be here for you, protecting you, helping you as much as I can." _If I'm anyone's Guardian, I'm yours. _He stepped away, hoisting himself up into the window, turning back one last time to see her face. "I love you." He whispered again, then was gone.

**Curses! This is what I get for not watching Doctor Who yet! -.- Okay, for those of you who know the REAL Time Lord in the universe, I'm sorry, this isn't going to be like that Time Lord, and I certainly don't plan on having police boxes flying around. **

**Well, we now have Wally on track, **** sorry if anyone felt Artemis wouldn't grieve like this, but it played much more smoothly with her vulnerable than being that kick ass 'why the HELL would I cry? I'm not a weakling!'.**

**On another note- OH MY GOSH FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE LINE BREAK THING! SOMEBODY GIVE ME A MEDAL!**

**Review? They're encouraging. They bring chapters faster. Hint.**


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